


Built Different

by AllieAster



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe-Coronavirus, M/M, Multi, New York City, Quarantine and Virtual School, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love, Wingfic, kenhina - Freeform, modern!AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27029758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllieAster/pseuds/AllieAster
Summary: Hinata has a lot on his mind. He has to balance online classes, moving to a new city, and an especially cranky lab partner. But he faces an extremely weird challenge when he leaves his window open one afternoon and comes back to a winged boy with golden eyes under his bed.--------------------KenHina Wingfic/College Au that takes place in NYC.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma, Kageyama Tobio/Tsukishima Kei, Kozume Kenma & Kuroo Tetsurou, Oikawa Tooru/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 16
Kudos: 64
Collections: Basically Kagehina





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a mash-up of a lot of AUs, namely 'Wingfic' and 'College'. It takes place in modern day (no, really. down to this exact month) but I can't promise that I will keep up with the timeline. 
> 
> If you have an affinity for NYC, the pigeons of NYC, rare pairings, love triangles, or college students being stupid, I hope you enjoy this fic and stick by my side as I write a hell of a lot of chapters.

Hinata despised the small window of his apartment. It was barely the size of a mirror and covered in scratches. As he stuck a butter knife into the crack of the window in an attempt to open it, he noticed the remnants of a bird's nest sandwiched in its crevice.

He grunted, lodging the knife deeper into the crack. He knew his apartment was old, as most apartments in the city were. Hinata, with his belongings shoved in trash bags and a wallet filled with singles, knew he wasn’t spending his freshman year at the Ritz Carlton. But the one luxury he wanted desperately to enjoy was an open window, especially on such a breezy afternoon. 

With a hard shove, the window popped open. Hinata smiled, dusting away the nest and the leaves that had accumulated in the window sill. He poked his head out, taking in the view from seven floors up. His apartment was identical to the old brown building across the street. It was probably identical to the old buildings on the left and right of him too. 

Hinata hummed, craning his neck to listen to the patter of footsteps below. It didn’t matter that his dingy apartment sometimes felt like a coffin. It didn’t matter that the sound of police sirens and honking would wake him up at two in the morning. He didn’t care when he found out that his freshman year of college would be completely virtual, robbing him of the chance to experience dorm life in a nicer part of town. 

Nothing else mattered because Hinata made it to New York City. 

His phone buzzed and Hinata pulled himself back into his apartment. Immediately, he registered the shift in air temperature. His phone buzzed again. 

Kageyama:  
At Lowlands. Sitting near window.  
(4:11 PM)  
Where are you?  
(4:14 PM)

Hinata rolled his eyes. He planned to meet Kageyama at 4:25 but it was just like him to be annoyingly early. He typed back a response. 

Hinata:  
omw be there in 15  
(4:15 PM) 

He paused before adding: 

i was printing out the study guide :)  
(4:16 PM) 

Hinata shoved his phone in the back pocket of his jeans and reached for his laptop. He had definitely not been printing out the study guide. In fact, Hinata was about two weeks behind in his notes. But he would never tell Kageyama that lest he see his lab partner sport a shit-eating smirk. 

“Fuck!”

The contents of his pencil case emptied on to the floor. Hinata hopped to avoid the cascade of pens, pencils, and highlighters that hit the ground and rolled in every direction. He did not have time for this. In one swift motion, he grabbed the nearest pen and slipped on his shoes before heading out the door. 

Hinata figured it took about a minute to get down the stairs of his building. Lowlands Coffee Shop was six and a half blocks away. If he crossed at the right times, he could make it in eleven. That was if traffic was good. With his luck, he would be there in fifteen minutes. 

He could do it, Hinata told himself. He had to if he wanted to avoid a royal meltdown from his lab partner and preserve his sanity for the next few weeks. Slipping his mask on, he stepped out on to the street and felt the welcome embrace of the cool air again. 

_____________________________________________________________________

“Want anything?” Hinata asked. 

Kageyama shrugged his shoulders, staring out the windows of the coffee shop. They sat in a corner, their laptops taking up most of the space on the small table. Kageyama looked bored with his arms folded, the faded blue of his mask matching the dullness in his eyes. Hinata wondered what was so captivating outside that Kageyama couldn’t spare a second to look him in the eyes like a decent person. 

“I’ll just, uh, get my coffee then,” Hinata mumbled. 

As he walked up to the counter, Hinata reminded himself that he had to play nice. All he had to do was finish the project, get the grade, and then he would never have to see that jerk again. He made a mental note to never go random on group projects in the future. 

A boyish-looking guy with grey hair smiled at him, “Hi, can I get you anything?”

“Yeah, is the chai latte any good?”

The grey-haired guy wiped his hands on his apron, “It’s actually one of our best sellers. We usually serve it iced but it’s kind of chilly out today.”

Hinata looked up at the menu, his eyes glancing over the crowded chalkboard. There must’ve been at least thirty drinks on the menu and almost all of them were over four dollars. 

“On second thought,” Hinata chuckled nervously, “I think I’ll just have a hot coffee with a pump of vanilla.”

“Anything for your friend?”

Hinata paused. There was definitely some piece of information he was missing. Then, it hit him.

“Oh!” he said, “You mean my lab partner. Yeah, nothing for him.”

“Ouch,” the cashier grinned, his hands hovering over the register. “Then your order today will be…$2.95.”

As Hinata handed the cashier a very crumpled bill, he couldn’t get the question out of his mind. Were him and Kageyama friends? They hadn’t shared more than a few words about anything other than their project. 

But it was Hinata’s nature to go from ‘acquaintances’ to ‘friends’ with almost everyone he met. He just didn’t see the point in acquaintances, especially in a city of so many interesting people. He always considered it easy to make friends but Kageyama was a special breed of difficult.

He pushed away his feelings of frustration, focusing on the grey-haired guy across the counter. 

“Wait a minute,” Hinata said, “You make the drinks too?” 

The grey-haired guy looked up at him, his hands still pouring and stirring, “Just one of the joys of being a minimum wage worker.”

“Or you’re just so talented they couldn't bare to hire anyone else,” Hinata countered. 

“Oh, how I wish that were true.”

Hinata’s smile dropped when he felt a buzz in his pocket. He took out his phone, a new message illuminating his lock screen. 

Kageyama:  
Stop flirting with the barista and come help me with this project.  
(4:37 PM)

He whipped his head around, staring down Kageyama.

“I am not,” he whined a little too loudly. 

Hinata turned back towards the counter, ignoring the glares of the other customers. When he reached for his coffee, he realized the cashier/barista was back at the register and taking more orders. He frowned. Hinata would take being friends with that guy over Kageyama any day. 

“Finally,” Kageyama grumbled when Hinata sat down at the table. 

An insult sat at the tip of Hinata’s tongue but he swallowed it along with his pride. 

“Let’s just focus on what we came here to do,” he said. 

A silent moment passed between them. Kageyama was still as Hinata opened up his laptop. His arms were still crossed, his eyes focused intently on the side of Hinata’s coffee cup. 

After another minute, he responded, “Are you sure that’s what you came here to do?”

“Well, I asked if you wanted one!”

Kageyama squinted, his brow furrowing, “Dumbass, I’m talking about your coffee cup.” 

The coffee cup? Hinata turned the cup on its side. There was a message scrawled in black ink:

ur funny :) 631-277-7212 —suga

Oh. He hadn't even seen the guy pull out a pen. A vicious part of him wanted to rub the number in Kageyama’s face. ‘Look what I got,' he wanted to taunt, ‘See how easily I make friends, you big meanie!’ 

Instead, he snapped a picture of the cup and opened up their PowerPoint project.

“I think we should start with an outline of each chapter,” Hinata began.  
_____________________________________________________________________

Hinata passed through the threshold of his apartment and let out the longest sigh of his life. 

He’d held back a lot when working with Kageyama: his suggestions for better organization, his concerns, insults under the guise of 'constructive criticism.' When Kageyama completely changed the theme of the project for the second time, switching from maroon to burnt orange, Hinata snapped. He shut his laptop, muttered a quick goodbye, and headed back towards his apartment. 

Hinata squinted as the fading light poured in from his window, illuminating the place in a peachy glow. Hinata swore he’d closed the thing before leaving but considering the rush he was in, he wasn’t surprised. What was a surprise was the sudden realization of what the room looked like. It was filthy. There were dirty dishes and the mess from his busted pencil case still littered the floor. On top of all that, they’d worked until sunset and weren’t even a fourth of the way through their project. 

God, there was just so much to do. 

Hinata pushed the backs of palms into his eyes. He was trembling. He knew he had to just breathe but, at that moment, it seemed like the hardest thing in the world. He needed some way to organize the million thoughts racing through his head. What was that thing his therapist always said? 

Make a list.

Hinata pushed his way into the kitchen, ignoring the bulging trash bag tied haphazardly to a drawer handle. He grabbed the notepad that clung to the front of his white refrigerator and scrawled out: 

Later:  
-get new pencil case  
-take out trash  
-project research  
-dishes

Now:  
-clean floor  
-close window  
-shower

It wasn’t much, but it loosened the tightness in Hinata’s chest. He needed to start on something, even if it was trivial and there were a hundred more important things he should’ve been doing. 

Hinata began scanning the floor for stray pens and pencils. He hated when he got like this. The exhaustion kicked in, without fail, every October in the academic school year. Even when he had in-person classes, he would show up to school with his sweatpants on and energy drink in hand, spending seven hours a day just staring at the projector. And with his knees bent, frantically searching his floor, the feeling hit him with the force of a semi truck. 

He stood up, head spinning, and placed a couple of pens on his table. The sunset was in full force at this point, shining over the edges of the buildings and casting weird shapes over the scantily furnished space. Right, the window. 

As he slid the aging window closed, he noticed something caught in the windowsill. It was a piece of ripped clothing: a strip of fabric no larger than his palm.  
It was a light grey color and he could tell the fabric hadn't been washed in forever. He hadn’t worn anything grey to Lowlands. In fact, Hinata wasn’t even sure he owned something that matched the tattered cloth. He flipped the piece of fabric over and his heart stopped. 

There was an unmistakable smear of blood on the back of it. 

Hinata flung the fabric away from him and on to the floor. If that wasn’t from his clothes then that definitely wasn’t his blood. He had so many questions and most of them were some sort of variation of ‘What the actual fuck?’

The longer Hinata stared at the scene, the more questionable things he noticed. The old frame seemed to have fresh scratches on the sides. And the butter knife he’d used earlier to crack the window open had fallen to the floor. He bent down to inspect the piece of fabric and noticed other, smaller pieces. 

Hinata felt his temperature rise, the nervous heat in his belly spreading across his body. The situation went from weird to concerning in an instant. At least there was some plausible deniability with a single piece of fabric. It was much harder to explain the trail of cloth snaking its way under his bed. 

A part of him wanted to run right back to the coffee shop. If Kageyama was still there, he could badger him to deal with the most definitely haunted piece of cloth in his apartment. If anyone deserved to be haunted by a bloody, axe-wielding ghost, it was that guy. 

With shaky hands, Hinata grabbed the butter knife. He inched forward, his heart pounding. There was probably nothing under his bed. He’d probably have a good laugh about it afterwards. Probably. 

He lifted the edge of his blanket, peering into the dark space under his bed. There couldn’t have been more than a foot of space between the frame and the ground. He moved in closer for a better look, the tinier particles of cloth skating across the floor as he let out a breath. 

Hinata saw...nothing.

He grinned, setting the butter knife down with a metallic clank, “Thank god.”

As soon as he spoke, two golden eyes appeared from the darkness. 

“Oh, hello,” a voice said.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a bit of a shorter chapter because I am trying to update more often. kinda rushed but let me know what you think, yeah?

Even as he locked eyes with the entity under his bed, Hinata couldn’t process what exactly he was looking at. He wasn’t sure if the entity was even a person. No human could have golden eyes like that, could they? 

The eyes that matched Hinata’s gaze were cat-like and unblinking. But that detail just added to the confusion. If the eyes belonged to some stray that wandered into his apartment, where had the voice come from? 

Hinata slowly backed away from his bed, keeping his gaze fixed on a single point. Every fiber of his being told him to scream, to run away, but he couldn’t. Something about those eyes...they were hypnotic. 

Hinata grabbed the knife from the floor, raising himself to his knees. If that was a feral cat under his bed, he still had to be careful. He grew up around enough animals to know that a bite from one could hurt like hell.

“Psp, psp, psp,” he whispered, “Kittyyy.”

Hinata’s voice stalled in his throat as the thing crawled out from under his bed. It was definitely not a stray cat. 

He met eyes with a person who looked about his age. His shoulder-length black hair was twisted in a knot at the nape of his neck and he wore an oversized shirt that went past his knees. Hinata remembered the tattered cloth that he’d found. It must’ve ripped off the guy’s shirt as he climbed through the window.

But the most surprising thing about him were the large wings jutting out of his back. They were almost the same size lengthwise as the guy seemed tall. As he elbowed his way across the floor, Hinata noticed how the hundreds of individual feathers came together in a mosaic of silver and black. 

“Stay back!” 

It was the only thing Hinata could shout at the moment. His brain couldn’t form a coherent sentence. His heart was pounding so loud, the sound seemed to bounce around inside his skull. Hinata was totally sure the thing in front of him could hear it. 

“I mean it,” Hinata cried. 

The person—that wasn’t right—the creature stood up like it was the easiest thing in the world. Like it was normal for a half human-half bird person to appear in a random apartment. 

“I’m not scared of you,” he said. 

Hinata swallowed, “I—that wasn’t—” 

“And you can put that down now.” 

Hinata understood what he meant even as the young man’s gaze fell to the floor. The butter knife. He let it slip out of his fingers and hit the ground with a clank. 

The guy continued, his voice barely above a whisper, “I wasn’t going to hurt you.”

Hinata crossed his arms. Seeing the young man’s ratty clothes and thin figure, he felt sort of bad for him. He’d seen a lot of people like that around the city: people who tried to do their best to scrape by but ended up on the streets. It was a culture shock coming from a small town. Hinata still had to get used to the difference between being poor in the sticks and being poor in the city. It seemed a lot more dangerous, more desperate. Suddenly, Hinata wanted nothing more than to sit the young man down and give him a cup of coffee. 

“What’s your name?” 

The guy’s head shot up, his golden eyes finding Hinata’s once again. His wings twitched. 

“My name?”

Hinata gave him a reassuring smile. He had to be tactful. Well, as tactful as he could be with his heart still racing and an edge to his voice. 

The guy dropped his head. He seemed to curl inward onto himself, wilting like a flower. His wings fluttered again, the tips of them almost scraping against the brick walls of the apartment. 

“I don’t,” he said, “I-I think—” 

This was bad. He didn’t want the guy to think he was prying into his life or something. Nobody had to tell Hinata that interrogation was a bad tactic. Before he could respond, his phone buzzed. 

“Shit.”

He snatched his phone off the table as it buzzed again. 

FACEASS:  
its seven and ur not here … shocked and upset  
(7:14 PM)

FACEASS:  
:(((  
(7:15 PM)

HINATA:  
dealing w/ a situation rn  
(7:15 PM) 

FACEASS:  
what kinda situation???  
(7:15 PM)

a sexxyy situation >>:)))  
(7:16 PM) 

HINATA:  
no smth elsd e asdg  
(7:16 PM) 

Busy!  
(7:17 PM) 

Hinata looked over at the young man. Even after seeing the guy’s full form, Hinata couldn’t believe the sight in front of him. It was like his brain refused to process the image of those striking wings and such a frail person together. He swallowed before his voice could dry up again. 

“I can help you,” Hinata said. 

He just had to take one thing at a time. Maybe if he looked at the guy’s face, he could ignore the wings. 

Hinata continued, “You should stay here and get some rest. I—”

Another buzz from his phone cut him off. 

“Fucking Christ,” he muttered.

FACEASS:  
uhh i hope not too busy to come to my opening 0_0  
(7:23 PM)

u promised :(  
(7:24 PM)

This was the last thing he needed to deal with right now. 

The guy’s wings twitched, ruffling just so slightly. Hinata stared. Did that mean he was cold? Annoyed? Hinata had no clue. There were so many things demanding his already limited attention span. One thing at a time, he reminded himself again. 

“I have a...thing.” Hinata said.

The guy blinked at him. 

“You should stay here,” he continued, “and we can...talk, I guess, when I get back.”

“Talk?”

“Yeah!”

Hinata realized his voice was high and strained.

“Only if you want though,” he added quickly. 

The young man was still for a moment. Then he gave Hinata a quick nod before sinking down onto the bed. 

With his shoes barely on his feet, Hinata raced out of his apartment. The guy probably picked up on how quickly the door slammed behind him. 

Would that creature even be there when he got back? Hinata wasn’t sure. Part of him hoped the guy would leave so he wouldn’t have to deal with another anxiety-inducing issue. 

Hinata slipped his MetroCard from the back of his phone case and unlocked his phone. 

HINATA:  
god im coming u big baby  
(7:29 PM)

you owe me big time oikawa  
(7:30 PM)

FACEASS:  
see u there, dickbutt  
(7:32 PM)

i know u hate when i call u that :))))  
(7:36 PM)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oikawa kinnies rejoice! there will be more where that came from.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uploading this right after i wrote it again. there will probs be mistakes but what can ya do. see you at the end of the chapter!

Hinata felt like he was missing something. No, he definitely knew he was missing something. He ducked into the alleyway, per Oikawa’s directions, and found himself in front of a loading dock. 

Hinata's eyes raked over the place. It looked like a shithole, if he was being honest. The musty smell and gritty brick walls on either side of him did nothing to lessen the metal door’s imposing appearance. 

Should he knock? Oikawa hadn’t given him many clues as to what their meeting location entailed, much less what he should do when he got there. Hinata leaned in closer to the doors. His face hovered over the metal and he strained his hearing to pick up on anything happening inside. He heard a low, rhythmic thumping but just barely. 

Before he could lean in closer, the metal door folded up like an accordion and Hinata was dragged inside. 

“I thought you would never make it.” 

He was crushed into a bear hug before he could register the flashing lights around him. 

“H-hey, Oikawa,” he managed. 

“So, whaddaya think of the place?” Oikawa reached into his back pocket, pulling out a silver sequined mask, “I figured you would forget to dress up. Take this.”

Hinata’s eyes widened when he realized what he’d forgotten. He’d been so caught up in dealing with his situation that he’d forgotten his face mask. He brought a hand up to his jaw, fingers trailing over his cool, bare skin. It was a telling mistake, a mistake that Hinata almost never made. 

Stifling his embarrassment, he took the sequined mask and put it on, “Thanks, man.” 

Oikawa sauntered forward, dodging half-assembled tables and stacks of boxes. Hinata scrambled to keep up. 

“She doesn’t have a name yet but all the best clubs in New York are nameless anyway,” Oikawa said. “A couple more hours and she’ll be perfect.”

He stretched his arms out in front of him, gesturing to the vast expanse of glittering lights, metal, and mirrors that filled the space. Hinata guessed that before Oikawa turned the place into a club, it could've been a small warehouse or a storage room. The colored overhead lights bounced off every surface and Hinata felt the beat of the music drum in his chest. 

When Oikawa turned and faced him, his face fell. 

“Cut the music,” he said.

Oikawa held up a hand and the room fell silent. The house lights clicked on and the once-dark space filled with white light. Now that Hinata could see clearly, he noticed a few people milling around at the bar, passing crates of liquor to each other. 

He felt the sure presence of Oikawa’s grip on his shoulders, “Dude, sit.”

Hinata sat down and Oikawa pulled up a stool beside him, “Whatever’s going on with you, you need to spill. You look like you’re going to puke.” 

Hinata let out a sigh that dragged every ounce of strength out of him. He wanted to be happy for his friend, especially on such an important night. He really did. But his head felt like it was stuffed full of cotton. It was as if his brain was at capacity and he needed to empty it somehow to make way for new feelings. 

“Okay, this is going to sound really strange,” he began, “like, super fucking strange.” 

“After all these years, you’re here in New York. I’m twenty one and opening a nightclub. We’re in a global pandemic. There’s nothing that can shock me anymore, Hinata.” 

“There’sabirdguyinmyhouse.” 

Oikawa slapped a hand over his mouth. 

“I know, I know,” Hinata continued, “I’m still not over it. I don’t even know how bird people exist! It’s crazy! I opened my window and the next thing I know this dude is in my apartment.” 

“Backup,” Oikawa said, “Bird...people?”

“Yeah, like with wings and shit! There was this cloth on my floor so I turned it over and it was all bloody—”

“Hinata?” 

“A-And then I looked under my bed and saw these eyes just staring at me. They were inhuman, man. Like supernatural freaky—”

Oikawa raised an eyebrow, “Hinata?”

“Then this skinny guy crawled out from under my bed and I saw his wings. They were like pigeon wings! Just so—” 

“Shouyou!” 

Oikawa caught a hold of Hinata’s flailing wrists. He stared at his friend, eyes wide. Hinata hadn’t realized how loud he’d been. Nervously, he shot a glance at the workers behind the bar. They, thankfully, were wiping down glasses and pretending not to notice their boss’ absurd conversation with his best friend. 

“I think you’ve had a stressful week,” Oikawa said. “And I think the best thing you can do right now is relax and burn off some steam tonight.” 

Hinata swallowed, “You’re right.”

Oikawa stood up and pointed to a stack of boxes in the middle of the room, “Now help me set up and I’ll treat you to a shot or two.” 

_________________________________________________________________

One shot turned into two. And then three. And by midnight, Hinata was drunk off his ass. He swayed to the rhythm of the music, the strobing lights pulsating behind his shut eyelids. Wobbling on his feet, Hinata grabbed a stool and propped himself up against the wall of the room. 

He felt warm and alive. It wasn’t his first time getting drunk; He remembered the nights Oikawa and him crammed into his old beater in high school, driving outside their town’s limits and taking shots under the stars. But it had been a while. 

From his spot in the corner, Hinata could observe the room. He’d helped Oikawa drill rows of plexiglass sheets into the dance floor when they were setting up. They’d created a see-through maze, a transparent labyrinth that separated groups of people into their own separate dance circles. 

The effect was mesmerizing. When Hinata first downed his liquid courage and took to the floor, he noticed how the purple and white lights reflected off the plexiglass. He leaned forward, his forehead almost touching the acrylic, and watched a girl on the other side raise her arms and shimmy. 

Now, his mind seemed just as chaotic as the dance floor. He swallowed and hoped that his stomach would settle. 

A shadow fell over his face, blocking out the lights. Hinata cracked open an eye. 

“My prince charming,” he said. 

Oikawa held out his hand, “You looked a bit fucked up so I came to the rescue.”

Hinata shrugged him off and stood up, “G-good job, man. This place is amazing.”

“I know, right? I wonder what it must be like to own such a successful club,” Oikawa smirked, flashing a wad of cash in his pocket. “Oh, wait. I know!” 

Hinata giggled and swayed forward, bumping his shoulder against his friend, “No, dude, it looks really good. Like really, really good. The music and the vibes are so...GWAH! You know?”

Oikawa grabbed Hinata’s shoulders just as his knees started to buckle. 

“Woah there,” Oikawa said, “Looks like Dickbutt is drunk as a skunk.” 

Hinata attempted to call him ‘Faceass’ but it came out as a garble. He grabbed a nearby water bottle off the floor and chugged it in an attempt to sober up.

“Uh, gross,” Oikawa shot him a look. “C’mon, let’s get you home.” 

“But I gotta stay here for your thingy,” Hinata protested. “And I got a bad—I mean, b-bird—man at home. Bird people, remember?”

“Well you wouldn’t want to keep that guy waiting, right?”  
_________________________________________________________________

They stumbled their way to a subway station and onto the train. Correction: Hinata stumbled as Oikawa propped up his drunken friend. 

By the time he heard the train’s brakes squeak to a halt, Hinata’s mind was a little more clear. He pried his thighs away from the plastic seats with a gut-wrenching pop. 

“Gross,” Hinata groaned, “I’m all sweaty.” 

“At least you didn’t puke in your car like that time at junior prom.”

“Shut up, Oikawa.” 

“Hey, it’s an improvement! You’ll be a master at binge-drinking by the time you graduate.” 

Hinata stepped onto the platform, grumbling curses too softly for his friend to hear. 

“Hey,” Oikawa held back the train door with one hand and grasped Hinata’s shoulder with the other, “Be safe.” 

Hinata nodded and the subway doors closed. He watched Oikawa through the window, his image blurring as the train picked up speed and barreled down the tunnel. 

Hinata pulled out his phone. Even though he’d been living in the city for a few months now, he didn’t trust himself to pick his exact crumbling apartment building out of the row. He punched his address into Google Maps to be safe. 

The air was even crisper at night and Hinata pulled his borrowed mask more squarely over his nose. That was the thing about fall: cool afternoons bled into bitter cold evenings. Hinata loved it. It was a comforting fact that even in his rural hometown, the nights matched those in the big city. 

He pressed his key into his door but didn’t turn it. Would the person who upended his entire worldview just a few hours ago still be there? Hinata didn’t know which answer to his question he liked better. He shook his head, took a few breaths, and turned the key. 

“I’m ba-ack,” he called into his apartment. 

The place was empty. Hinata let out a sigh of relief. Then he felt something other than worry bubble up in his chest. 

Slamming the door closed with his foot, Hinata bolted into the bathroom. He ripped off his mask, slammed open the toilet seat, and proceeded to vomit. 

Hinata heard a rustling behind his shower curtain and raised his head. Metal rings screeched against the curtain rod and pulled back to reveal the bird man sitting in his bathtub. 

“Fucking Christ!”

Hinata wanted to scramble back from the guy but instead, he turned back to the toilet bowl and vomited again. 

The bird man watched him with wide eyes, “Are you okay?”

Hinata choked, “Y-yeah. I’m fine.”

“Oh.”

The man didn’t look convinced. He glanced downward, his wings shifting

Hinata smiled and rested his forehead against the rim of the toilet bowl, “I just had too much to drink, that’s all.” 

“Why?”

Why? At first, Hinata had no idea what the guy was asking. Perhaps in bird people culture, they didn’t have alcohol. Yeah, that had to be it. 

“Well, us p-people, us humans, have this drink called alcohol. And it's not very tasty but it makes you feel funny,” he explained. “Like you get super excited and stuff. But it also makes you sick.” 

The two sat in silence. The guy seemed to be having a staring contest with the fuzzy bath mat on the floor. Hinata couldn’t care anymore. His stomach was settled and the exhaustion from the dancing and drinking was starting to creep in. He flushed and closed the toilet seat but kept his forehead glued to the ceramic. 

The man spoke again, “I know what alcohol is.”

Hinata didn't respond. He was crashing into a deep darkness that he physically couldn't pull himself out of. His hearing grew faint like it always did before he fell asleep. Things would just have to sort themselves out in the morning. 

As he faded from consciousness, he felt the solid weight of his bath mat around his shoulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ik ik the hinata and kenma interactions were pretty sparse this time around but give it time! i promise this weird slow burn leads somewhere. hopefully next chapter we will see more of hinata's cranky lab partner :)


	4. Chapter 4

There was a volcano exploding from Hinata’s forehead. Not a literal volcano, obviously. But a pain so deep and raw, it threatened to split his skull in two. 

Hinata slowly lifted his head from the rim of the toilet bowl and ghosted his fingertips over his eyes, his nose, and down his cheeks. His lips were chapped and gummy. His throat was raw, like he had been screaming. The lingering smell of sickness reminded him of what he really spent the night doing. 

Hinata stood up, shrugging his bath mat off his shoulders. It crumpled in a pile at his feet. 

He turned on the sink and splashed some water on his face. Oikawa’s club was fun. And it was the first great night out he’d had in a really long time. But he could’ve done without the vomiting. And there was something else, something Hinata couldn’t put his finger on, no matter how long he concentrated in the mirror. 

Oh well. He had to start the day at some point. 

And in order to do that he needed coffee. Coffee. That sweet, sweet hangover cure. Hinata wasn’t sure coffee was supposed to be used that way but it seemed to work magic for his migraines. He swallowed. Now that his need was materialized, Hinata couldn’t think of anything better than a latte from Lowlands. 

His eyes widened. He needed to find his phone. 

Clamoring his way into his apartment, inebriated, had been a bad idea. His shoes were thrown sloppily against the front of his door. And when he stumbled out of the bathroom, he saw his things—his wallet, his keys, an empty water bottle—scattered around the floor. 

Hinata whispered a curse that stuck in his dry throat. His phone was lost, probably kicked under some furniture and forgotten. He slowly lowered himself onto his hands and knees for a better view. There was a faint vibration coming from the area near his bed. 

Hinata ripped the blanket off his bed and found his phone buried underneath. It buzzed again, this time seeming louder and angrier. 

KAGEYAMA:  
At Lowlands. Sitting near counter.  
(12:37 P.M.)

Someone took our regular spot.  
(12:39 P.M.)

And if u dont get your ass here soon all the seats will be gone.  
(12:41 P.M.)

Tsukki is starting lecture. You forgot, didn’t you.  
(1:03 P.M.)

Hinata bit his lip. Just when he thought he was in the clear, Kageyama grabbed a leg up on him. And over a stupid, one-credit, no good lab class. He replied, his fingers jabbing at his grubby screen. 

HINATA:  
soz im coming now!  
(1:12 P.M.) 

got food poisoning :(  
(1:13 P.M.)

The trek to Lowlands was miserable. Hinata’s walks around the city were supposed to be the highlight of his day. While he usually felt free and uncaged, he could only focus on the ache quickly radiating down his neck at the moment. He hadn’t had time to shower, only grabbing his laptop bag, the essentials, and the sequined face mask from Oikawa before heading to the coffee shop. 

He saw Kageyama sitting tall, his eyes focused on the laptop in front of him. When Hinata set his bag down, Kageyama popped out one of his AirPods. 

He grumbled, “You look like shit.” 

Hinata glared, hard. He knew his eyes were hollow and the ginger mop on his head was messier than usual. He probably smelled, too. But he’d dealt with hard nights and even harder mornings before. 

With a herculean amount of strength, he pushed a small grin on to his face. 

“I’m fine,” he said. He pulled out his laptop, hoping Kageyama hadn’t noticed the low power warning that flashed across his screen. “Did I miss anything important?”

“Nah,” Kageyama replied, “He’s just going over the quiz from last week.”

Hinata joined the Zoom call and immediately regretted it. He knew the TA for his lab class, the no-nonsense lecturer named Tsukishima, was not going to be happy. Just as he predicted, the TA ignored Hinata’s entrance and kept talking, a scowl on his face. 

He should’ve probably been taking notes, jotting down extra advice they could use on the project, but Hinata didn’t have it in him. He doubted the brainstorming session with Kageyama later would get anything accomplished considering his state. If Kageyama planned on giving him a break, he didn’t show it. He stared at his laptop screen intensely, almost so focused it seemed forced. 

“May I remind everyone that cameras should be on during this class,” Tsukishima said. 

Hinata sat upright and reached for his laptop. So Tsukki did notice him joining late. 

Right as he went to turn the camera on, his laptop screen went dark. Shit. Kageyama rolled his eyes. Hinata figured he was calling him a ‘dumbass’ in his head. 

Hinata felt a streak of anxiety run through him and settle in his throat. 

“I need some coffee,” he croaked. 

Stepping away was a good move. Hinata had a hard time dealing with assholes on a regular day, when his brain wasn’t sending seismic shockwaves through his skull. But he couldn’t muster up any of his charm at the moment. There was still something nagging at him and Hinata was itching to find out. 

“You think he’s gonna be mad at me?” He asked as he set down his cup. 

Kageyama shrugged, his eyes still on his laptop screen, “I don’t think he really cares.” 

Hinata stifled an urge to snort, “I think guys like him actually care too much. They get a little bit of power as TAs and they think they’re invincible.” 

“Don’t take it out on him just because you fucked up and forgot a charger.” 

Hinata pouted. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how similar Kageyama and Tsukishima were. They both were stubborn and focused on the material. It was something Hinata was apparently not, judging by his dead laptop and forgotten notes.

He glanced out the window, watching people stroll by with their expensive, padded coats and steel thermoses. That was going to be him one day. He was going to walk the streets of New York and feel like he belonged there, like he knew what he was doing. And if he had to pay attention to a boring, one-credit class and work on a stupid project to get there, he would do it. 

Hinata scooted his seat closer to Kageyama, “Can I borrow one of your AirPods?”  
__________________________________________________________________________________

Sunset. He always got back to his apartment near sunset. Hinata made his way over to his windows and opened them, letting the glorious light into his apartment. 

He needed to shower. He needed to do a lot of things. But for the moment, Hinata sat against his windowsill, one leg propped up, and watched the orange and yellow in the sky fade to a dark blue. 

And at once, Hinata knew what he was missing. 

“You’re alive.” 

Hinata glanced above him to see a pair of golden eyes peeking from the top of the building. The bird man was gripping the edge of the roof and speaking down at him. The man’s hair was down this time and Hinata noticed the blonde streaks at the end of his mane, almost the same color as his eyes. 

“Yeah, I made it,” Hinata chuckled. He stared at the man above him, so many questions at the tip of his tongue. “Not without a killer headache, though.”

“But you’re okay?”

“Are you talking physically or metaphorically?”

The bird man blinked at him. 

“I’m totally fine now,” Hinata said. “I was just kidding.”

A moment passed between them. Somewhere in the distance, a car honked. 

Then the man spoke, “Kenma.” 

“What?” 

“You asked what my name was. Before.” 

Hinata smiled and held his arm above his head, “I’m Hinata! I’d shake your hand but…”

The guy’s wings fluttered and he seemed to pull them closer to his body. The longer Hinata talked to the man, to Kenma, the more he stared at his wings. They really were like pigeon’s wings. 

A breeze passed and Hinata rubbed a hand over his leg absentmindedly. He wondered if Kenma’s wings were warm. If they felt soft and downy on the inside. 

“It’s getting cold,” Hinata said, “Do you wanna come inside?” 

Kenma was quiet, his eyes focused on something far below Hinata, “Is that okay?” 

“Of course,” Hinata exclaimed, “Why wouldn’t it be?”

Kenma bit his lip, “Last time I tried to come in, you almost stabbed me with a butter knife.”

“Oh! Um, sorry about that. It was just, uh, a misunderstanding.” 

The bird man seemed to hesitate. Hinata sighed. He knew it was a long shot, considering how he flipped out on Kenma the first time he snuck in. And the second time. 

Then Kenma leaped off the roof and Hinata’s eyes almost bugged out of his head. He hovered in midair for a moment before flapping down to Hinata’s window and grabbing hold of the frame. 

“Woah! How did you not die just now?” 

“I have wings,” Kenma said. 

Hinata blushed. God, his day had turned into a contest on how thoroughly he could embarrass himself. Of course a bird person with bird WINGS could fly. 

Hinata slipped inside his apartment but Kenma stayed glued to the side of the building. 

“Are bird people like vampires where they have to be invited inside?” Hinata asked. 

Kenma swallowed, “What’s a vampire?”

Dammit. There he was again with the stupid questions. Stupid, stupid, stupid. That was Hinata today. 

Kenma seemed to be studying Hinata’s face. Finally, he asked, “Are you sure I should come in?” 

Hinata held out his hand, “It’s really okay. I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is what it look like. no really, im so grateful for all the comments, kudos, and hits this has gotten. yall really encourage me to keep writing. 
> 
> spoilers for the future: did kageyama seem to be warming up to his lab partner? hinata and kenma certainly are ;);)  
> and i want to have suga and oikawa meet soon so look foward to that!
> 
> doing my best and ill update soon !


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know i haven't updated in FOREVER pls forgive me i had a really rough finals week (month, ngl) and serious writers block. im on winter break now so i promise i will try to keep this updated. 
> 
> also side note is anyone struggling with online school?? jfk my gpa this semester was in the LOW 2s
> 
> ok ill stop complaining lets get into it

Hinata and Kenma sat cross-legged and facing each other. The bird man was hidden beneath his wings, leaning into his soft, downy underside for warmth. Hinata shivered, wishing he had a blanket to tie around his shoulders. 

Even as they sat in silence, Hinata was learning new things about Kenma. For instance, he had a tendency to bite his lip before answering any of Hinata’s questions. When he did steal a glance at Hinata, he looked away quickly. 

Hinata didn’t want to bombard him with questions too soon but there was so much he wanted to find out. 

But first, coffee. 

The microwave beeped, jolting Hinata into action. He felt eyes on him as he poured the warmed liquid in a mug and sat back down next to Kenma. 

“It's from a coffee shop down the street,” Hinata explained, handing the mug to Kenma. “They’re the best in this neighborhood. Not sure how it tastes reheated, though.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Don’t mention it.” 

He stood in front of Kenma, looking down at the bird man. He wasn’t sure if he should stand there or if it was awkward to sit beside him. Hinata chose the latter, sinking into the covers of his bed right next to Kenma.

“So,” he started, his hands folded neatly in his lap, “Are you from the city?” 

“Not originally.” 

Hinata smiled, waiting for Kenma to elaborate. When an explanation didn’t come, Hinata bulldozed forward. 

“Oh, that’s cool, I guess,” he chuckled nervously. “I just moved here for college—well, I had planned to stay in a dorm before the pandemic hit—but I’m from this really small town in Virginia. So, um, the city has been a big change.” 

The last vestiges of Hinata’s pride withered under Kenma’s blank stare. He didn’t mean to ramble, especially in front of a stranger, but the silence was suffocating. 

“Virginia,” Kenma finally spoke, “I’ve heard of it. Lot’s of trees.” 

Hinata leaned back and sunk into the covers. It was easier to talk this way. He could avoid getting sucked into those golden eyes. 

“Yeah, it really is beautiful,” he said. “My town? Not so much. It’s one of those places where you have to know your neighbors.” 

Hinata watched the paint peeling off his ceiling flutter from the draft. Kenma shifted next to him. 

“Is that a bad thing?” 

“Sort of,” Hinata replied. “I was friendly with the people at my school. I grew up with them. But I realized they cared more about everyone else’s business instead of things that actually matter. I felt like I was already building my grave in that town.” 

Kenma’s nervous tap, tap, tapping against the mug stopped. Hinata raised his neck a little and watched the other man’s eyes bore holes into the floor. 

“Aren’t you lonely?” Kenma asked, his voice hushed. 

“Mmm. Sometimes,” he said. “I have my classmates. And my best friend from high school. But there’s so many people here that I never really feel alone. Even in the middle of the night, I hear sirens wailing and people shouting at each other from their fire escapes.”

In a flurry of feathers, Kenma fell back into the cushy blankets. Hinata’s train of thought was cut short as one of Kenma’s wings pushed against his shoulder. Don’t touch them. Don’t touch them. Don’t—

With Kenma beside him, Hinata was close enough to feel a couple of feathers without moving his hand. He extended his pinkie out and noticed softness against the pad of his finger. He then moved each finger until he could pat down the feathers with his whole hand. 

If Kenma minded, he didn’t show it. He faced the ceiling, regarding it almost nonchalantly.

Kenma breathed, “I think—” 

Hinata met eyes with the young man beside him. His expression was soft. Hinata figured that Kenma, minus the dirty smudges on his chin and at the tip of his nose, could pass for a high schooler. 

“I think I’m lonely.” 

Kenma spoke in a whisper but the intensity in his gaze never wavered. It was almost supernatural. There was a possibility, Hinata considered, that it actually was. If a dude with wings could exist, surely the guy could possess other strange abilities. 

Hinata felt a unusual heat rise up from his stomach and suddenly he bolted upwards. 

“I need...pee,” he stammered before racing into his bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

Hinata braced his hands on the sink and stared at his flushed reflection in the mirror. There was no reason for him to feel so warm. Yet, he couldn’t stop embarrassing himself in front Kenma. He was supposed to be cool, collected. He knew that he had to be tactful and not spook such an elusive stranger, especially one with ratty clothes and enormous wings. But every time Hinata tried to be comforting, he ended up fumbling under Kenma’s stare. 

Sighing, Hinata splashed his face with water and willed his blush to fade. It was going to be a long night. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

After digging through his sparse belongings, Hinata managed to find an extra quilt and pillow. He’d moved in months ago but his least used items still remained sealed away in cardboard boxes. 

“I have an air mattress from when I first got here,” Hinata called out, his hands buried deep in his closet. “Now I just have to find it…” 

Hinata was glad Kenma agreed to stay the night. Considering he found the bird man lounging around the roof of the building, Hinata figured his apartment was a good place for him to crash. 

“Do you need help?” 

Kenma stood but stayed near Hinata’s bed. His wings curled around his body, almost like he was hesitant to take up space in the room. 

“Nah,” Hinata said, “I got it.”

A box came tumbling down from the top of Hinata’s closet along with several other knickknacks. Hinata held his hands above his head in an attempt to shove everything back inside, but it was no use. The box unleashed a flood of crumpled shirts, tupperware, and old electronics. 

Kenma smirked, “Are you sure you don’t need help?” 

Hinata kicked aside the boxes on the floor and grabbed an extra pair of clothes from his closet. Kenma seemed to be about his size—only taller. He could spare a pair of sweatpants and a thin tank top to replace Kenma's ripped and soiled clothes. Hinata made a note to hit up a thrift store later on. 

“These are the only extras I've got so you can just use my toothbrush for now,” Hinata said. “I know that’s kind of gross but I packed light when I moved in.” 

Hinata opened the mattress box, now indented on one corner from where it hit the ground. Kenma walked towards him, his eyes focused on something near Hinata’s foot. 

“What’s that?” 

Hinata glanced downward and saw his old phone. It was an old model with a cracked screen but it buzzed to life, flashing a low power warning. 

“Oh, that? I've had that thing since,” Hinata considered it, “maybe, middle school. It’s super buggy but it has some old games on it.”

“Games?” 

Hinata grabbed the old phone. It must’ve accidentally turned on when it hit the floor. He looked around and found the charging cable, plugging the phone in and ushering Kenma to his side. 

“It’s really not much,” Hinata said, “But I used to be obsessed with this game called Flappy Bird when I was younger.” 

He slid open the lock screen. Ignoring the outdated (and slightly embarrassing) wallpaper, Hinata clicked on the app and brought the game to life. Kenma’s eyes widened as Hinata slid the phone into his waiting hands. 

“The game doesn't exist anymore,” he explained. “But phones that still have it downloaded can go for a lot of money online.”

Kenma ran his thumb over the cracked screen, the glass crunching beneath his touch. He pressed on the start button and the pixilated little bird bounced up and down on the screen. Suddenly, the phone buzzed and paused the game. 

Kenma looked up at Hinata, his brows knitted together, “What happened?”

Hinata smiled, “Read the message.” 

UNKNOWN:   
hey! :)  
(8:19 PM)

its weird texting my old number  
(8:19 PM)

“You can keep it if you want,” he explained. “It’s not like I’m gonna be using it anytime soon.” 

Kenma blinked at him before slowly typing a response. Hinata’s phone pinged. 

OLD NUMBER:   
Ok.   
(8:20 PM) 

Thanks.   
(8:20 PM)

Hinata didn’t wait long to change the contact info. Immediately, his phone chimed again. 

KENMA (bird guy!!):   
:)  
(8:21 PM)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you got games on ur phone 0_0


End file.
